Solved Ford Explorer 5 speed conversion - Going Full Manual

[PopRichie77]

Sorry misunderstood, no the spacer isn't threaded. probably just rust inside the spacer, may need some more brute force. If the spacer turns when you use the air wrench try holding the spacer with vice grips or a pipe wrench.

 

[gmanpaint]

You did put a wrench on the nut on top?

The nut is off both bolts. The bolt is halfway out. It gets jammed once the threads hit the spacer bushing. Thus the reason for hitting the end of the bolt with a punch threw the holes.

I am tired of fighting them. I am going to break out the sawzall and cut them off.


The spacer spins freely on its own. No rust.

 

[IZwack]

Cut it with a grinder?

 

[gmanpaint]

Turns out the bolts were in a bad bind. I got them out intact.

I have the vehicle supported on jackstands using the tubes on the sliders. The weight of the vehicle is twisting the frame a bit causing the bind. I got it handled.


The trans is out and on solid ground. I removed the harness connectors from the trans not up behind the heads. After the trans was out and I had a nice clear look around in the tunnel, I found out that the connectors from the ECM and the wire harness I got with the M5 are completely different.

The stock ends are square, and the M5 harness is round, I don't know what I am going to do for now, so I cleaned up and closed shop.

I decided to try to get the trans out leaving the exhaust on. The 3" body lift made this possible. It was tight, but doable. A simple prybar under the lip of the bell housing, and lowering the trans tail shaft got it on top of the exhaust. Jacked it up and over the rest of the exhaust and pulled the trans back and dropped down.

I had to leave the torque converter on for this, since I am not returning the auto back in it, I didn't really give 2 hoots if I messed the trans seal or not. Turns out it didn't do any damage to the seal after all.

 

[crazyflights]

Connectors are only causing u no reverse lights when its in reverse, u must move on and address that last. or put them on a toggle.

 

[PopRichie77]

Glad you got it out, a 4 solenoid and lock up torque converter auto trans won't have the same connections as a manual or the same computer. Your probably going to need the manual wire harness and the manual computer to make it work.

 

[gmanpaint]

Connectors are only causing u no reverse lights when its in reverse, u must move on and address that last. or put them on a toggle.

So your saying I don't need a harness for the trans at all? The harness is only for the reverse lights? I'm confused about that now.

Glad you got it out, a 6 solenoid and lock up torque converter auto trans won't have the same connections as a manual or the same computer. Your probably going to need the manual wire harness and the manual computer to make it work.

I have a manual ECM from the same year (95) to swap out. I do not have a 95 manual harness though. I just looked it up on car-parts.com and found a couple trans harness, but they give a couple different PN for them.

Edit: the trans harness PN given were wrong. Some ass hat had typed in a rear dr door harness #.

I got the correct # off the 95 manual ECM.

 

[PopRichie77]

There's more to it than just the back up lights, without the sensors that are in the auto the engine probably won't run right.

 

[IZwack]

I thought it was just the neutral safety switch and the backup light - what else?

 

[gmanpaint]

There is a ton of wires from the manual trans harness. I have no idea what everything is on it, but the reverse lights is just a small 2 wire part of it. There are 2 pin type connectors on it that go to the ECM and other stuff im not so sure about. There are I think 4 diff connectors on it total.

The clutch saftey switch and something to do with the TPS I think, and the VSS.

 

[Turdle]

I think the auto ecm may look for resistance load o the solenoids. So, the solenoid block could be plugged in and hung out of the way to test this. Use 33 ohm resistors in place of the solenoids if it works.

The safety switch and reverse light wiring should be relatively simple

Am I on the right track for suggesting this?

edit
the vss should be on the transfer case.

 

[Maniak]

I think the auto ecm may look for resistance load o the solenoids. So, the solenoid block could be plugged in and hung out of the way to test this. Use 33 ohm resistors in place of the solenoids if it works.

<snip>

Am I on the right track for suggesting this?

<snip>

Thats what we do on our '92 which has a non a4ld in it. I run the 33 ohm resistors BUT, I found that when I had one of them burned up (used a 1/4 watt resister) it would throw a code during the KOEO test but not throw a CEL and it ran just fine. I haven't fixed that resister and don't plan to. I know when I pull code that I have that one code, which makes it easier to double check my EEC-IV codes. If I don't get the 3/4 solenoid code out of my flash deciphering then I know I did something wrong.

~Mark

 

[gmanpaint]

Got a 95 manual trans harness being sent from our good friend kbabiak. The Drivers bank O2 sensor, VSS, reverse light, & clutch position safety switch, is part of the Manual trans harness. I know the 95 manual harness will plug into the square 16 pin engine harness. This leaves the oval connector to figure out, I might have to salvage parts of the auto harness,

If it don't work then I will have a go at the resistor spliced in the auto ECM via the auto trans harness. I will need a wiring diagram for that, if anyone has one for a 4r55e available.

95 auto trans harness:
6 connectors
Square black 16 pin blue center = engine to trans (forward of shifter)
Square black 16 pin red center=trans to engine (pass bank)
Oval gray 8 pin red center= engine to trans (aft of shifter)
Round 8 pin red center=trans to engine (dr bank)
Black 2 pin red center=VSS
White 4 pin red center=dr side O2 sensor

94 manual trans harness:
6 connectors & 2 wires. I only know where the black semi-oval 2 pin (VSS) and the gray round 6 pin (engine harness) goes.
There is a reverse light connector in there somewhere, and I imagine it is the other 2 pin connector, but there is also 2 single wire connectors, so I am not sure which is which. One has to be for the O2 sensor, and one has to be for the clutch.

95 manual trans harness:
5 connectors
Square black 14 pin red center=trans to engine (pass bank)
Black 2 pin red center=VSS
Green & gray 4 pin=O2? Both O2 on this?
Small black 2 pin blue center=reverse lights or clutch position sensor?

95 engine to auto trans harness:

SPOUT connector is in the middle. Can't hide from me you little booger!

 

[gmanpaint]

Just for my future reference if ever needed.

The torque converter nuts are a 14mm and can be got at with a series of two 12' & one 6" extension's, a semi deep well 14mm, an air wrench from the front. Under the motor mounts and over the front diff, thread 1 extension at a time until it reaches the nut on the TC going thru the starter area.

The flywheel bolts (6) are 17 mm. Takes a thin wall socket as they are very close together.

 

[gmanpaint]

95 manual trans harness is here (thanks kbabiak )

Added it to the post above for comparison. It has only 5 connectors. The round gray 8 pin is missing from this harness (I knew it was when ordering it) and there seems to be both O2 sensor connectors on it. The VSS is obvious, the big black square connector has 4 pins missing from it, and I believe the small black 2 female connector is for the reverse lights.

So I guess I am wondering what I do with the 2nd O2 connector since the pass side O2 is still connected to the stock engine harness, and is the clutch sensor part of the black square 14 pin connector? Also leaving the round 8 pin connector with nothing going to it, whats going to happen? LOL I will cover it up to protect from the elements.

I am going to install the M5R1 this weekend, hook up the manual harness and see what happens. It might work, it might work half way, it might need splicing, I just wont know till it is done.

 

[Iron Weasel]

OK, the gray 8-pin connector on the left in the picture might be the "Hydraulic Unit Connector".
Check the wires going to it and it'll tell you if that's the same connector.

1 - Orange / Yellow tracer
2 - Gray / Black tracer
3 - Tan / Red tracer
4 - Orange / Yellow tracer
5 - Pink
6 - Tan
7 - Orange
8 - White

 

[gmanpaint]

OK, the gray 8-pin connector on the left in the picture might be the "Hydraulic Unit Connector".

Thanks for that diagram.



I was told by a retired mechanic that in 1985 all car manufacturers have adapted to the Japanese car makers way of thinking. The engine harness is equipped for both auto & manual transmissions, and they have caps for the ends not being used. I wonder if anyone has seen this on a stock manual engine harness? So I am guessing it wont be an issue leaving this with nothing on it with the manual ECM, since that is for the auto.

 

[Iron Weasel]

Just went out and looked at my 94, which is a stock 5-speed.

The only connectors I have behind the top of the engine are the two white plugs for the O2 sensors and the camshaft position sensor.

 

[gmanpaint]

So your 5 speed has no harness on it? :scratch:

The 95 manual harness is off a Ranger. I wouldn't think they would be any different then an Explorer. But , maybe?

 

[Iron Weasel]

My M5OD-R1 has 2 plugs on it (back-up lamp switch connector and neutral position switch connector), but both are two wire connectors.

Drivers side, front of vehicle is at the left of the picture.

The connector in the upper left that has the red color is the backup lamp switch and the gray connector goes to the neutral position switch on the other side.

Passenger side, front of vehicle is to the right.

The only switch on this side is the neutral position switch.

As you can tell by the pictures, those plugs have their own wiring loom, it's that green colored one and it comes down from the drivers side of the engine bay. I did re-examine my harness back there and I definitely do not have either of the connectors that are shown loose in your third pic.